April Gloria Talks Cosplay And Being A Taylor Swift Look-A-Like

From Skyrim to Disney princesses, there is no fantasy realm in which April Gloria can’t pull off a gorgeous cosplay. She’s also a full-time cat lover and a minor makeup guru. But in our world, April is being recognized as a Taylor Swift Look-A-Like. Cosplay & Coffee spoke with April about her recent expansion as a cosplayer and what it’s like being compared to Taylor Swift.

Cosplay&Coffee: What came first: cosplaying or being recognized as a Taylor Swift lookalike?

April Gloria: Definitely cosplaying. When I started cosplay I had dark brown hair and did a lot of heavy smoky eye looks with nude lips and straighter bold brows. I started getting comparisons in late 2014 when I went blonde, started doing more cat eye/red lip combo looks, and embraced my natural arched brows.

Cosplay&Coffee: There are a lot of people who get recognized as celebrity look-a-likes (Jbunzie as Miley Cyrus and Megan Flockhart as the Emma Watson doppleganger). Do you enjoy being compared to Taylor Swift, or do you feel it hinders you as your own person?

AG: I don’t mind it, being that it’s a total compliment. Taylor is gorgeous!

Cosplay&Coffee:Are you a Taylor Swift fan?

AG: I love her style and enjoy following her Instagram. She seems like a fun person to hang out with! I have always had some of her music on my iPod (when I had one) but would never admit it since my friends and I were really into heavier rock and metal music. I still love those genres, but I’ve stopped really caring what people think about my music taste outside of that. I love the vibe of 1989 and was excited to hear Taylor was going full pop with that album, though I really enjoyed Red, also.

Cosplay&Coffee: Do people ever mistake you for T. Swift when you’re out and about?

AG: I’ve never been blatantly mistaken for her, though I have gotten a few double-takes and statements that I resemble her. It’s mostly when I’m wearing cat eyes/red or similar colored lips, and even more so when I’ve got on an outfit that’s similar to something that she has been seen wearing, like a crop top and miniskirt with heels.

Cosplay&Coffee:Let’s talk about cosplaying. Do you make your own cosplays?

AG: It’s about a 70/30 split, make vs buy. I love making things, but sometimes I just don’t feel like making a particular item such as a denim skirt or button-up shirt. Sometimes I will buy costumes from friends. Most of the time I will add my own touches to those, like weathering or a different wig. It’s cool to think I’m wearing my friends’ art, and it gives me a chance to support them both financially and via promo when I credit them for it in photos.

Cosplay&Coffee: Who are some of your favorite characters to cosplay as?

AG: Skyrim costumes will always be my favorites to make! I am finishing up my sixth costume from that game. Other than that, Samus Aran from the Metroid series and Blake from the show RWBY are probably my favorite costumes.

Cosplay&Coffee: What conventions do you plan on attending this year?

AG: I’m going to be at Star Wars Celebration this year! It’s in Orlando over Easter weekend. I’ll be attending on Saturday, wearing my up-and-coming Mara Jade costume. I also plan to hang out for a day at Planet Comicon in Kansas City at the end of April. I’ve cut back on conventions this year due to my current job, but it allows me to concentrate on building more costumes!

Cosplay&Coffee: What fandoms do you belong to (Harry Potter, Overwatch, Anime, Pokemon)?

AG: Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Elder Scrolls are my main ones, though there are more.

Cosplay&Coffee:So, what is your dream career?

AG: I would love to be a full-time creator! My dream is to be able to make cool costumes, connect with my community, and travel to cool places to take photos of the costumes with my husband.

Cosplay&Coffee: Who is your celebrity crush?

Cosplay&Coffee: What has been the best and the worst interaction you’ve had at a convention?

AG: Nothing specific sticks out in my mind, but I love when I meet people dressed in the same fandom. It’s really exciting, like an instant bond. For worst, it would probably be any time someone tried to grab my body inappropriately when posing for a photo. I do my best to guide people to have their arm around my shoulder but some of them try to grab the hip first. I used to allow it to happen, but now I am more assertive when it comes to posing etiquette.

Cosplay&Coffee: Who is your inspiration?

AG: I can’t really narrow it down to just one! Many people within the cosplay community are huge inspirations to me. They inspire me to better my craft, to make new friends, and to reach for my long-term goals!

For more on April, follow her social media channels and check out her exclusive looks on her Patreon!

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